Electrical connecter device



Aug. 16,927 19639325 Fe. B. BENJAMHN ELECTRI CAL CONNECTER DEVICE Filed June 23. .1921 2 sheets-sheet 1 Aug. 16 1927.

R. BENJAMIN ELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE Filed June 25, 1921 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Aug. 16, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, or` CHICAGO,l ILLINoIs, AssIcfNon To BENJAMIN ELECTRIC MANUFACTURING COMPANY, oF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CoRPonA'IIoN or ILLINoIs.

yELECTRICAL CONNECTER DEVICE.

Application led .Tune 23, 1921.

My invention relates to electrical connecter devices, and more. speclcally to means rfor electrically connecting and mechanically conp necting and supporting a iixture in posi tion with respect toa receptacle in such a manner that it can be readily connected and disconnected both electrically and mechani- Cally- Further objects will appear from the detailed description to follow and from the appended claims.

In the drawings in which two embodiments of m invention are shown- Figure 1 1s a vertical sectional view showing an outlet box, receptacle, and means for electrically and mechanically supporting a xture with respect tothe receptacle;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional View substantially on the line 2 2 of Fig.'1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the receptacle and a portion of the outlet box plate;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the plug-in device, and the cup in which it is seated;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, showing a diferent form of canopy than shown in Fig. .1;

Fig. 6 is a section on the line 6-6 of Fi 7 is a vertical sectional View showing a dierent form of my invention; and

Fig. v8 is a plan view of the construction shown in Fi 7. j

Referring rst to Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive,` the construction shown thereincomprisesan outlet box 10, a receptacle 11 mounted therein, and means 12 for electrically connecting and mechanically connecting -and supporting a fixture with respect to the receptacle 11.

The receptaclell is mounted on a hori-V zontal supporting plate 13, which is secured to the outlet box by mea-ns of screws 14, and forms a sort of cover for the outlet box. The means 12 for electrically and mechanically connecting the fixture with respect to the receptacle comprises in addition to the supporting plate 13, a cup-shaped sheet metal bracket 15, having a sort of bayonet joint connection with respect to the supporting plate 13, and a lug-in device 16 swiveled in the cup or brac et 15. The swivel connection between the plug-in device 16 and cup` permits the limited rotary movement of' the cup 15, which is necessary to enable the bayonet joint connection between'the cup 15 and the supporting plate 13to be eected.

Serial No. 479,787.

openings r notches 18 in the. supporting plate 13, the hook portionsl7 being movable tov overlie inwardly extending lugs or slloulder portions 19 on the supporting plate For preventing the hook members 17 from belng turned backward after they have been connected, the ends of the hooks are provided with 4downwardly. extendin pro'ections 20`which drop into holes 21 crm in the supporting plate 13. In order to prevent the cup member 15 from being accidentally lifted up and thus releasing-the projections 20 from their engagement in the holes 21, a C011 compression spring 22 is provided which acts between the plug-in device 16 and the bottom of the cup member 15, tend'- ing to force the cup member 15 downwardly and to hold'the projections 20 in the o-penings 21; As an additional safeguard against the disen agement of the hook members 17,

the cupaped finishing housing 23 shown 1n Flg. 1 may have a threaded engagementl at 24 with the bushing 25 to which the fixture stem is secured, andthe upper edge of this finishing housing may engage against the supporting plate 13 'as shown at 26 thus securelyl holding the cup-shaped member 15 against any possibility of its being-lifted up to disen'gage the projections 20 from the holes 21.

Thel plug-in device 16 may be heid ifi-the y cup member 15 by means of lugs` 27, bent in. wardly ufromdahe material of the vcup member 15, and extending into arcuate recesses 28 in the insulating base 29 of the plug-in de vice 15. The arcuate recesses 28 are of suicient extent to permit the swiveling movement which is necessary in eifectin .the

bayonet joint connection. between the ook members 17 and the supporting plate.A 13. The plug-in device 16 is provided w1th a plufA r'ality of contact blades 30,-- (three being shown). which are insertible through the openings 31 in the receptacle cover 32, engagement with the receptacle contacts 33. Binding' screws 34 for-the wiresfor the fixture are threaded into the base portions of the contact blades 30. The main insulat- 7 ing base 35 Of the receptacle is provided with a plurality of foot portlons 36 (three in number) which rest on the inwardly extending'v lugs or projections 19 of the supporting cover 13, the insulating base 35 being secured to the cover 13 by means of screws 37 which extend through the insulating base 35 and the foot 4portions 36 and are threaded into the inwardly extending lugs 19.

The insulating cover 32 of the receptacle may be secured in place on the main -insulating base 35 of the receptacle by means ots screw 38 extending through an opening in the cover 32, and threaded intoan eyelet 39 secured to the insulating base 35.

The supporting cover 13 is provided with a plurality of key-hole openings 40 for cooperation with the screws 14, theenlarged portions of the key-hole openings being large enough to permit the heads of the screws 14 to ass therethrough, to enable the plate 13 to e secured to the outlet box 10 by a sort of bayonet joint connection.

. If desired, a canopy 42 as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1 may be substituted for the two finishing members 23 and 41. This canopy 42 may be held in place by means of a nut 43 threaded onto the bushing 24. The canopy 42 may be separate from the nut 43 or may be soldered thereto if desired. The supporting plate 13 may be provided with additional key-hole openings 44 to enable the supporting plate to be used with various sizes of outlet boxes. l

The bayonet joint connection between the finishing late 41 and the supporting plate 1 3 will bg described more in detail hereinafter in connection with the descriptionI of Figs. 7 and 8.

Fig. 5 shows a somewhat dierent form of canopy 45, held in place by means of a threaded sheet metal member 46, having a threaded portion 4710i engagement with the bushing 24, to which the xture stem 48 -is secured, and having an outwardly beaded portion 49 for engagement with the lower edge of the canopy 45. In this form also, screwing up the screw-threaded member 46, holds the canopy 45 firmly against the supporting surface 50, and holds the cup mem: ber 15 down to hold the projections 2O of the hook portions 17 in the openings 21 and supporting plate 13.

In Figs. 7 and 8 is shown 'a construction in which the cup-shaped member 15 is notused to sup rt a fixture stem, but in which the wires 0 which lead from the plug-.in device 16 may be connected with any desired electrical translating device. The receptacle 11 is supported from a downwardly projecting spider or bracket 51 secured to the supporting plate' 52. The cup-shaped member 15 is connected with the spider or bracket 51 in substantially-the same manner as the cupshaped member 15 in Fig. l is connected with the supporting (plate 13. The receptacle 11 also is connecte with the bracket 51 in just the same manner as the receptacle 11 in Fig. 1 is connected with the supportingplate 13. The supporting plate 52 may be connected with an outlet box just as the supporting plate 13 is connected with the outlet box 10. A cup-shaped finishing housing 53 may b e secured outside the cup-shaped bracket 15 in any suitable manner. as by soldering.

A cano y 54 may be secured to the supporting p ate -52 by meansof a sort of bayonet joint connection as shown in Fig. 8. To

. eect this bayonet joint connection, the incause the down-turned corner portions 57 to enter'the notches 56, and then turned to bring the parts into the position shownin FiIgI. 8.

aving thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. The combination with a fixture, of means for electrically connecting and mechanically connecting and supporting said fixture with respect to a receptacle, said means 4comprising a plug-indevice, acup in which said plug-in device is swivelly mounted, and means for holding said` fixture land receptacle mechanically connected, said last means comprising'a spring inside said cup actin between said plug and cap .to force said xture 'away from saidreceptacle.

2. The combination with a fixture, of means for electrically connecting and mechanically connecting and supportin said fixture with respect to a receptacle, said means comprising Aa plug-in device, a cup in which said plug-in device is swivelly mounted, and means for holding said fixture and receptacle mechanically connected, said last means comprising a -coil spring inside said cup actin between said plug and cap to frce said tacle, said coil spring being coaxial with t e stem of said fixture.

3. The combination with a plug-in device having push-in blades for Aengagement with xture away from said rece receptacle contacts, of means or supporting said lug-in device in position with respect' to said receptacle, comprising an apertured supporting plate and a .plurality of hook members lnsertable through. apertures in said plate, and spring means acting between said plu -in device and supporting means to force said hook members away from said. plate to hold the vhook members connected.

1,639,125 f y y 4:. The combination with a plug-in device having pushin blades for engagement with receptacle contacts, of means for supporting said plug-in device in position with respect to Said receptacle comprising an apertured supporting plate, a cup in which said plugin device is swivelly mounted, said cup being provided with hook members extending through the apertures in said supporting plate, and means for holding said hook inemers connected comprising a spring inside said cup member acting between said plugin device and cup member to'force said cup member away from said plate.

5. The combination with a plug-in device having push-in blades for engagement with receptacle contacts, of means for supporting said plug-in device 'in position with respect to said receptacle comprising an apertured supporting plate, a cup in which said plugin device is swivelly mounted, said cup being provided with hook members extending through the apertures in said supporting plate, and means for holding said hook members connected comprising a coil spring inside said cup member acting between said pluginLdevice and cup member to force said cup member away from said plate, said coil spring being coaxial with said cup.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name.

t REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. 

